Mick Fanning to be handed world surfing title if rookie Mitch Crews upsets Kelly Slater

Mon 9 Dec 2013, 5:44 PM AEDT

Photo

Mitch Crews of the Gold Coast collected some prize scalps in the first two rounds of the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii.

ASP: Kelly Cestari

Gold Coast rookie Mitch Crews has earned a showdown with 11-time word surfing champion Kelly Slater after upsetting more fancied rivals in the first two rounds of the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii.

Crews, who has already qualified for the 2014 world championship tour, eliminated big-wave charger and former world championship competitor Shane Dorian in excellent two-metre waves at Pipeline.

The Currumbin 23-year-old then beat fellow Australian Matt Wilkinson in round two to set up a third-round clash with Slater.

"This Hawaiian season's one of the best I've ever had," Crews said.

"This has been an incredible run and that heat was a great time. Shane Dorian, he's the guy. I saw him the other day and was starstruck."

Slater and fellow world championship contender Mick Fanning sat out the first two rounds and will join the contest in round three.

Crews can hand the world title to Fanning if he can take out Slater in round three. Slater has to win Pipeline and have Fanning not reach the semi-finals if he is to overtake rankings-leader Fanning and claim a 12th world title.

Brazilian hot-shot Gabriel Medina produced the highest heat score of the opening day when he scored 9.67 and 9.0 wave scores in his heat to eliminate experienced Hawaiian Bruce Iron with a total of 18.67 out of 20.

While the opening day at Pipe produced some incredible rides for many of the competitors former contest winner Kieren Perrow of Byron Bay dislocated his shoulder in a heavy wipeout.

It was a disappointing end to Perrow's career who is retiring from the world tour after the Pipeline Masters.